May 18, 2008

The New Breed of Cars- Changing Driving Habits and Choices with Hybrid Cars

Filed under: Hybrid cars — akeger @ 7:06 am

Remember how futuristic movies of the past portrayed tomorrows car as fast air gliders. Cars that moved from one point to another in the air. Well the future is here but the car of the future is not the dream of yesterday. The cars of our future do not glide through the air. They are not lighting fast but they are fast enough not to leave you yawning at the wheel. It is a good idea to understand just what we are dealing with when hybrid cars are mentioned.

With the rise in energy costs worldwide fuel powered cars have the disadvantage of rising maintenance costs. These recent events have made the hybrid car a choice for vehicle owners. But more than the rising costs of maintaining fuel powered cars interest in hybrid cars rose because hybrid cars use more than one form of energy to power their motor engines.

Manufacturers are rising to the challenges posed by the questions raised about the possibilities of these cars in regards to speed, comfort, compatibility and longevity. Manufacturers are showing off a new brand of car that compares to it fuel powered brethren. Hybrid cars are manufactured with all the lushness, stylishness and slickness of these other cars. A shift is coming in what will be the future car of the road and it is represented by the new breed of car, the hybrid car.

Even though there is an increasing awareness for hybrid cars buying one is not yet a one, two process. This is because these cars are not yet as widespread as their fuel powered cousins, and have not yet been released into the general auto marketplace. To get a hybrid vehicle you will need a little know how of where they can be found. This will involve some form of personal search. A personal search might involve contacting the companies themselves or various car dealers.

The hybrid car is the wave of the future and you should definitely think about getting on the bandwagon. Explore it possibilities and you will not be disappointed. They are slick and getting better all the time. Have fun driving the wave of the future.

You can see an example of a hybrid vehicle and read more about the future hybrid car at www.autocentralebrugge.com

Tags: energy costs, , hybrid cars
May 17, 2008

How Hybrid Cars Work

Filed under: Hybrid cars — akeger @ 6:19 am

From the first moment you step into a hybrid car, you will notice that a multitude of things are vastly different than your conventional vehicle. Turn the ignition key, and you will notice just how quiet these things are. For example, if you happen to be sitting in a Toyata Prius the car’s electric generator will quietly fire up the conventional internal combustion engine, or “ICE”. As the ICE comes up to operating temperature it will automatically be shut off, which brings the car’s electric motor completely online. The gasoline engine will remain in a dormant state until it is further needed.

The Toyata Prius will remain completely in electric mode as long as speeds fall under the 15 M.P.H. limit. As long as you don’t exceed that speed, you are driving an entirely electric powered vehicle which is using absolutely no gasoline, nor releasing any harmful emissions from its exhaust system. Obviously, if you drive a bit more aggressively, or exceed 15 M.P.H. the ICE will again come online to produce the necessary, additional power required. A computer is constantly calculating the power requirements and sending this data to a device called a power split, which connects the electric and gasoline engines through a series of gears.

Things work slightly differently if you happen to be in a Honda Insight. The gasoline engines in these vehicles remain online from first start until they reach operating temperature, and come to a first stop. The ICE will become completely dormant at that point. As soon as you remove your foot from the brake pedal, shift into gear, or depress the accelerator the combustion will again come online to provide additional power as required. The variety of available transmissions in the Honda line of vehicles has made it necessary to utilize a bit more elaborate system of engaging and disengaging the electric motors.
The dash panel will keep you constantly informed of the amount of electrical assist that is being provided. All the while a computer is in the background calculating how much power is required, and allowing the electrical assist to occur. This type of system allows for near conventional car performance, while achieving much greater fuel economy.

The nickel metal hybrid battery systems in these vehicles are quite fascinating. Again, a computer is constantly making calculations, sending power from the batteries to the electric motors when required. When the vehicle is in braking mode the electric motor begins to act as a generator, supplying the batteries with their needed charge. The computer is constantly monitoring the amount of charge in the batteries and maintaining a 30% - 80% charge at all times. These minimum and maximum levels are what allow these batteries to last in excess of 200,000 miles. That’s a quite impressive lifecycle for battery technology, and a great thing as hybrid car batteries are quite expensive.

While this is a very simplistic overview of a very complex system, it does give you a basic understanding of the inner workings of the hybrid cars of today, and will hopefully be of assistance as you continue your quest of buying a hybrid car.

Thomas Manning is a highly experienced automotive technician and author, who frequently contributes to the hybrid cars information website Hybrid-Rides.com.

Tags: hybrid car, , , hybrid car batteries, hybrid cars
May 9, 2008

All about Electric Hybrid Cars

Filed under: Hybrid cars — akeger @ 5:21 am

For many, electric hybrid cars are a glimpse into the future of automobiles. They consume less gasoline, save money, and preserve the environment. The hybrid cards are favored by consumers, backed by the governments, and hailed by the environmental services. The raising gasoline price and increased pollution often drive more parties into the concert of promoting the electric hybrid cars.

Made of plastic and aluminum, these cars are the future of the auto industry. While running on strictly energy, these hybrid vehicles will eliminate the use of large amounts of fuel each and every day. Imagine the difference one year would make if everyone on the road switched over. This idea is unrealistic, as most families do not have the money to spend on a new hybrid car.

Most consumers would appreciate a hybrid car because it does not emit as much fuel when driving. The gas also shuts off immediately, once the car stops. The impact would be evident within years. Aside from being the favorite of environmental service, the hybrid car also has rechargeable batteries. Unlike most products, these batteries charge by themselves, once they know that they are running low.

Although electric cars run strictly on energy, hybrid cars are much more economical. Unlike the electric vehicle, the hybrid does not need a place to be plugged in. They have chargeable batteries that operate by themselves, and can recharge at any time or area. A huge disadvantage of an electric car is that in order to recharge, it must be plugged into an outlet. This poses a major problem, as there are not many areas for this quick fix. Hybrid cars are also much more affordable, and will continue to get cheaper as time goes on. While electric vehicles do have its upsides, there are too many cons to think about.

For younger generation, the hybrid cars are something trendy. For environmental services, they mean less pollution. The initial cost of owning a hybrid card is no doubt more expensive than owning a conventional car, but the total of owning a car may not look that expensive at all in long run. With technology constantly changing and consumers getting more environments conscious, these cars may actually end up in our own garages. If it means spending a few extra dollars to cut back on fuel, save our lives and our planet, the majority of consumers would hopefully consider this option. If not, then there is a much greater problem facing this world.

Natalie Aranda writes on technology. For many, electric hybrid cars are a glimpse into the future of automobiles. They consume less gasoline, save money, and preserve the environment. The hybrid cards are favored by consumers, backed by the governments, and hailed by the environmental services. The raising gasoline price and increased pollution often drive more parties into the concert of promoting the electric hybrid cars.

Tag: Electric Hybrid Cars